Playlist Stories
by Angelblood666
Summary: Stories made from songs from my library. Rated T, but some might not be T. I'll post the ratings at the top of the story. I don't own Hey Arnold or any of the songs.
1. Reunion

**What's up y'all! It's been so long, but with summer here, I get to do so many stories. This is the beginning of many, so don't worry.**

**So, I was talking to a fellow FanFiction writer, darkangel1326, who gave me the idea to do a Quick Mix. So, I asked what it was, and she let me know of the rules, so I thought I would try it out.**

**The rules basically are:**

**Pick a topic/theme.**

**Put your music on random/shuffle**

**Do a short story/drabble for 10 songs**

**You must start at the beginning/be done with the story by the end of the song.**

**So, I tried that and I couldn't do just a short story. I don't know why. So instead I made a *story* out of each of them.**

**I chose Hey Arnold, obviously. Sooooo without further delay, here is my first story.**

**Shout out to darkangel1326 for the idea. Check out her stories! Thanks darkangel :)! **

**Reunion**

**Based on the song The Reunion by Bad Meets Evil.**

**Warning!Warning! This story is T for alcohol/language/a reference to gore/and slight intimacy.**

Arnold sighed, trying to focus on the road as Interstate 666 weaved it's concrete road through the hilly countryside near the city of Hillwood. He tried to tune her out, but for some reason, he just couldn't ignore the drunk exclamations of the woman next to him. He wished she would just go to sleep so he could concentrate more on driving. He even was beginning to regret picking her up off the side of the road.

He hadn't seen her since high school, almost 5 years ago now, so imagine his surprise when he found 23 year old Lila Sawyer walking on the side of the road, her clothes ripped and a beer in her hand, probably not the first of the evening. He pulled the car over and climbed out to hear the woman mumbling under her breath. He asked if she was alright and if she needed a ride into town. She had turned to him and gasped. She spoke, her words slurring and she couldn't stand up straight as she said, "Arrrrrnollld Sssllllortman. I havvvven't ssssseen you ssince hiiigh schooool. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! I said HIGH!" She fell to the ground, clutching her sides, somehow finding that sentence immensely funny.

Arnold was amazed that the woman barely standing before him had been the nice girl he had grown up with, even to the point that he had liked-liked her when they were kids. He helped her up, while she still held her sides from the laughter, and asked, "Do you need a ride to Hillwood Lila? I'm heading back from camping with the guys."

Lila stopped laughing long enough to say yes, so Arnold, trying hard not to touch, or even look at, her…uhm…slightly EXPOSED body, led her into the car. He closed the door and hopped into the driver's side, listening to Lila go on about what a great party she had gone to and the guys that she had met and how she tried to remember their old classmates.

She snapped her fingers in front of his face, causing him to come out of the flashback, and he turned his face to her. Her red hair was in a tangled mess down her back. She frowned and asked, "Come on Arnold, how have you two been?"

Arnold raised an eyebrow and asked, "How have who two been, Lila?"

"Why, you and Helga of course."

Arnold's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't thought of her for a little while. The pain was still too much for him. The guys had tried to help him move on, but he just couldn't. Maybe he still hoped he could rekindle their love, but he hadn't been in town from San Lorenzo for too long, and then all the old guys had planned a guys-trip, so he hadn't gotten a chance to see her. He swallowed and said, "Umm. I haven't had a chance to see her since I've gotten home."

Lila waved away his statement. "I heard she's dattting Wolfgang, the old bully of ours." She laughed a little. "He probably just wants to sleep with her though, but they've been together for a while. I hear they fight a lot though from the girls." She pushed up her hair and tried to cover herself with what little clothing she had left. "They say she's just some whore looking for some attention."

Arnold narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth. What nerve that Wolfgang had! And Helga couldn't, no WOULDN'T just see anyone because he left, would she? He felt angry because Lila had said it so casually, even though she knew of their history together. He knew she was drunk, but that was still unacceptable.

He glared at her and said, "Helga would never EVER do that." Lila raised her eyebrows, then said, "Yeah, like you would know. You haven't been around for a few years. You don't know anything about her anymore. She's just a who…"

"SHUT UP!" shouted Arnold. He breathed heavily, unwilling to accept Lila's GOSSIP (ugh!) as truth. Helga was better than that. They never saw her nice, her passionate, her true side. He had, and he knew she wouldn't ever do that.

Lila narrowed her eyes and undoes her seatbelt. She leans over and slaps Arnold, hard. He wasn't expecting her to hit him. His hands accidently followed his body, causing the car to turn. The tires slipped into the ditch, sending the car off the road. Arnold turned the wheel and tried to regain control, but the car turned onto it's side from the angle of the ditch, causing the car to flip over.

When the car came to a stop, Arnold opened his eyes. He knew if it weren't for his seatbelt, he wouldn't be in the car at all. He tried to turn and check on Lila, but the seatbelt only allowed him a little room to maneuver. He felt pain sear through him at the slightest movement, so he stopped trying to find her. He couldn't see her, but he hoped she was okay, even though this was her fault. His anger resurfaced as he tried to get out of the car through the window, but he was stuck because of his leg.

He heard voices, someone yelling for an ambulance. He felt arms wrap around his head and shoulders, pulling him out of the car. He cried out in pain, but he was finally brought out. His eyes turned to behold his savior, even as it became darker and darker from the pain. He froze.

It was her.

What wonderful miracle had to have taken place for her to swoop down and save him! His eyes teared up and he felt his heart beat faster from the adrenaline and love resurfacing within him as he watched Helga G. Pataki hold, almost cradle his head in her arms. Her hair was down her shoulders just like he liked it, and she had make-up on, as if she was out for the night.

Arnold unfroze, his mouth finally able to form words, but his voice was still not working. "Uh wan ed to say you agin."

Helga looked terrified and she asked, "Arnold! Are you okay? Fuck! Please tell me. Stay awake goddamn it!" She pulled his head closer to her, hoping to maybe keep him from blacking out, but she had seen his leg. It was not pretty, and he was losing a lot of blood. He felt her silk dress against his face, and with great effort, he inhaled. She smelled so sweet, like honey.

He spoke slightly louder, finally forming coherent words. "I wanted to see you again." He felt her lower him, and he smiled. Then, he hit the wall. Blackness surrounded him and his last thought was of Helga.

Helga shook him, shouting his name and threatening to hurt him, though she knew it was no good. She cried, holding his head up as she pushed on his chest, trying to give CPR. His heart fluttered, and then she felt it give it's last beat. She lowered her head onto his heart and quietly cried. It was no use.

**End of Story 1. Please Review! The button is right over there. It's not that hard, just take a minute to tell me what you thought.**


	2. It's Going To Take Time

**What's up y'all? Sooo, I know that last story might have been a bit bad. Okay, it was pretty bad. And yes, in the end Arnold dies. But now, it's Helga's turn I'm afraid.**

**This one is WAY worse, in fact this is my very first M rated story. So anyone reading who doesn't like/read M's, you might want to wait until the next chapter, just saying. However, on a good note, the next one is happier. It actually has a good ending, but that's next time.**

**This is the second song on my random shuffle, so I hope you like it. If you don't read it, well… I'm not too into M stories myself so I don't blame you. Just stay for the other stories please. If you do read it, please review. I'm nervous about this one and I like to hear feedback.**

**Shout out to darkangel1326 for the original idea. I hope you like this one!**

**2. It's Going To Take Time**

**Based on the song More Than A Memory by Garth Brooks**

**Warning!Warning! Rated M for language/a reference to alcohol/vandalism/gore/a suicide attempt (I warned you.)**

Arnold turned in his bed, already sweating and breathing fast from his dream. He grunted, then struggled to breathe because his pillow blocked his mouth and nose from receiving oxygen. He awoke with a start, panting and sitting up, allowing him to breathe again. His pillow and clothes were drenched from the sweat. His room felt a 1000 degrees, but he turned over the pillow, punched it a couple of times in frustration, and laid his head back down into it.

It was so real. The dream had taken place 4 years ago, yet he still remembered the heat of the fire, the boom of the explosion, the scent of gasoline and torched metal, and the screams and cries from her before silence fell, telling him that she was…

No. He couldn't bring himself to think it. He knew he would just start crying again, then in a few hours his grandfather would check on him and try to comfort him. It was no use. It never helped. It probably never would.

He had had this dream for 4 years, yet it still made him tremble and shake. He became lost. His mind, unwilling to handle it, would wander to his childhood and teenage years when they were together. He growled and buried his face into the pillow, hoping it might just finish the job it had started while he was asleep. After a few minutes, finally knowing he didn't want to go back to sleep because she would just be there, he got up and 22 year old Arnold Shortman got out of his bed and dragged himself into the kitchen, a headache pounding at him from last night. He didn't remember last night at all, but hopefully he would find out from Gerald. He only hoped he hadn't done anything drastic.

When he turned 18, he transferred to the old Kokoshka's room, partly because he had outgrown the size of his room and partly because it just held too many memories of… her. He couldn't even think her name. It was too painful, physically and emotionally.

"How depressed do you have to be in order to not say someone's name? Especially someone you love? This must be how grandpa felt." he said out loud, to no one in particular. He glanced at Abner's basket lying beside the bed, unused for years, but Arnold didn't want to move it. He never had.

The Kokoshka's had moved out when he was 16 because Susie finally couldn't pay for Oskar's debts and the bills just stacked up. It all proved too much for her, she could only handle so much. So without a notice or word to anyone, they left one day. To where nobody knew, but Arnold didn't care anymore.

"Good riddance." he had caught Ernie whispering to Mr. Hyunh, who nodded and whispered something back to Ernie, but Arnold hadn't caught it. He was too busy spending time with his arm around her waist, his fingers flowing through her beautiful, long blonde hair, his lips leaning ever closer to her's...

He shook his head and opened the fridge. He found some milk, got out some cereal, and sat down to breakfast. While he ate, he relived his dream for the umpteenth time in years.

_It always started the same way, him feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. He was 18, and he had just gotten this phone with his own money so he could stay in touch with his friends and make it easier to talk to them. He had felt so proud. He said, "Hello."_

_It was Phoebe. She said the words he now hated and wished had never crossed her lips._

"_Arnold… there's been… an accident."_

_Arnold stopped his studying for his exams and sat up straight, looking at the wall very seriously. "What's wrong Phoebe? Tell me, please."_

"_Helga's been hit. On the overpass by your house."_

_Arnold was stunned for a moment. Then he said, "I'll be right there." He hung up and raced downstairs to the Packard. He grabbed the keys from the dashboard and turned them into the accelerator, humming the engine to life. Grandpa had come out and shouted at him, "What's wrong Arnold?"_

_Arnold stuck his head out the window as he backed out, "I'll be right back Grandpa. Helga's hurt." Phil gave him a thumbs-up, showing Arnold he understood how he felt and Arnold slammed on the gas, sending the car into the street as he straightened out. After a minute of driving, he turned and entered the freeway, already seeing the wreck from the on-ramp._

_It had been nasty. A Shell truck was on it's side, a hole leaking gasoline onto the freeway from the top/front of the tanker, now mere inches from the road. Miriam's car was also destroyed from the front bumper to the windshield, all ripped off and barely hanging onto the car by a few pieces of metal. He pulled up by Phoebe's car, seeing her and Gerald on the hood of the car, holding each other while Phoebe's face leaked tears. Arnold got out and approached the two. Gerald and Phoebe separated and Gerald turned to Arnold, showing his face to him._

_Gerald and Helga had never really been friends, but when Arnold and Helga had started dating when they were kids after San Lorenzo, he really had tried to be a better friend to her. They weren't really close, but they tolerated each other and they helped each other with their respective best friends while growing up, as mediators when something went wrong and fellow planners for events, from double-dates to birthdays to anniversaries. Gerald face was almost as bad as Phoebe's, tears going down his face. Arnold had never seen Gerald cry, ever._

_He wiped his tears away and spoke in a raspy voice, "The trucker said he didn't pay attention for only a second, but he drifted into the other lane." Gerald got up and placed a hand on Arnold's shoulder. "Arnold, the gas is flowing and if there's a spark anywhere, the whole place will light up. We can't go any further without risking that. You can see her mom from here though, so it only seems to reason that if she's gone, then…" Gerald stopped._

_Arnold looked at the car. Miriam was indeed in sight. Her face was turned toward the window, allowing them to see her blood covered face, her head cracked open slightly as a ghost of a smile remained on her face. Her eyes were open, almost staring at Arnold as if from a staring contest she felt confident in winning._

_Death was prevalent in her appearance. That couldn't be denied, even to Arnold's optimistic mind. He looked away and vomited near the cars, unable to take in the sight of her. When he was done, he wiped his mouth and turned toward Gerald and Phoebe._

"_Please, we have to see if she's… okay. She has to be. She wouldn't give up on any of us, so we shouldn't either." Gerald and Phoebe looked away from Arnold, unwilling to say what they thought. "Help me damn it! She can't be…" He grew silent._

_Gerald and Phoebe turned toward each other and Phoebe nervously said, "But Arnold, I've been here since just after it occurred. Gerald arrived a moment before you did. We haven't heard anything to suggest that she indeed is… okay. Please don't risk it." She brought her hands to her mouth, biting on her knuckles. "I can't lose two of my friends in one stroke." Suddenly, they heard a scream for help._

_It was Helga. Arnold didn't think twice. He didn't even consider it. He sprinted off to the car, ignoring his friend's protests as he neared the car, his feet splashing the gas up and all over his shoes and lower legs. He tugged at the passenger door with difficulty, but he finally pried it open just enough for Helga to shove out her arm._

"_I'm STUCK! Help me Arnold. Fuck! It hurts so much! Please, help! Goddamn it!" Arnold grabbed the door with a better grip and pulled. Somehow, it came loose and he pulled the door open wider. He glimpsed her face, forever engraving the image into his mind, an image that still sent shivers down his spine. Her face was covered in blood, a few teeth missing, probably from the impact, her nose was obviously broken and she had a cut on her forehead, still leaking blood down her face into her eyes and down her nose. He knew she would get better though. He still had to get her out though. He grabbed her arm and tried to sooth her by rubbing it._

"_It's going to be alright Helga. I'm going to get you out." said Arnold as he gently tried to pry her from the wreck. She screamed, her voice echoing in his ears as she pleaded him to stop. He had never hurt her before, but he would now if it saved her life. He tugged harder, trying to get her free, but she didn't budge._

_He looked at her, finally taking in her situation. She hadn't lied, she was stuck, but not by the door. Her other arm was crushed in between her mother's dead body and the seat, which squashed her arm into almost a pancake from being jammed from the crash. She cried, the blood mixing with the tears as she sobbed._

"_It's no fucking use Arnold. I'm stuck." She cried again, unable to help herself out of this._

_Arnold began to cry and reached up to her face. She looked at him and he tried as hard as he could to sound confident, "I'm GOING to get you out of here. Don't worry." He smiled, though it came off more as a grimace. He'd get her to safety._

_Oh how wrong he was._

_The oil and gas around the car suddenly burst into flames, spreading around the car and following the gas trail on the road. Arnold gasped, then cried out in pain as the fire licked his shoes and spread to his legs. He jumped over the gasoline and took off his shoes and threw them over the rail, then he swatted at his legs to suffocate the fire on his hair. He looked back at Helga, ignoring the pain from his calves as he gazed at Helga, fear in her eyes as she watched, petrified, the fire. Arnold shouted her name, but she stared at the fire. Arnold shouted again, and this time she looked at him._

_There wasn't fear in her eyes this time. There wasn't anger, or sadness, or joy, or regret, or anything else except love. It was just love. She yelled at him, "Get away Arnold! Please leave! I'll see you again."_

_Arnold started toward her again, but this time Gerald and Phoebe restrained him from behind. They dragged him away as he protested for them to help her. He watched as the fire grew and it expanded, surrounding the car. When the fire reached the truck, all hell broke loose._

_The explosion rocked the freeway, sending shock waves down it as metal scraps fell from the sky. Arnold was thrust into Phoebe's car as they cowered away from the metal falling from the explosion. But even the car couldn't thoroughly muffle the shrill scream that erupted from Helga G. Pataki's mouth when the explosion sounded. The scream went on for just a second, but it might as well have been a lifetime to the three inside the car. Then a second explosion was heard as the car blew up from the gas still remaining inside the engine._

_Arnold finally heard silence. He curled himself into a ball in the back, sobbing into his legs as he realized that Helga, his first friend, his first kiss, and his soon-to-be-first and only wife was now… was now…_

Arnold shook his head, trying once again to get these horrible thoughts out of his head. He looked at his cereal, no longer hungry, and dumped it into the sink. He pulled out some clothes from the closet and threw them on, not even caring about getting ready anymore. He only thought of her anymore. Nothing else mattered. Not anymore.

He walked to his cell phone and picked it up. He dialed Gerald's number and waited, sitting in his chair facing the bedroom. It rang three times, then Gerald and Phoebe's voices came up, saying to leave a message after the tone. Arnold only said, "Same old, same old Gerald. Call me." He hung up, knowing Gerald would know that he had had the dream again. He looked up at the digital clock on the counter.

6:00 am. He dropped his head into his hands, allowing them to run through his hair as he sighed. He grabbed his car keys, phone, a small box with… her bow wrapped around it, and his wallet, and shoved them into his pockets, and opened the door to the hallway. He locked the door and walked down the stairway. His grandfather was sitting in the dining room, taking his medication for the morning.

Arnold knew that his grandfather was old, but he was getting close to 95 years old, and he was withering fast, as if what was left of him was now gone. Arnold was amazed and frightened by how fast Grandpa was losing health. He was boney, well more so now than he used to be. Arnold was glad that he had forgotten the passing of Grandma. When he was 15, he found his grandfather sobbing at the table, where he expressed the news.

After the funeral, Phil would just sit around the house, not doing anything, just sitting and staring at the scrapbook he had shown Arnold when they were kids. His grandfather died that day, and so did Arnold. The house lost it's usual spark and unpredictability that day. Everything became monotonous.

SHE helped Arnold so much through that time. SHE had made the place almost normal with her visits. She almost lived here, and took over for Gertie. She was so wonderful and full of life and care. Then, after a few months, Phil began to resume his old enthusiasm. At first it scared Arnold, but life was better.

With her gone now, his grandfather's health fell and he began to forget the stories that Arnold loved, he forgot about his childhood, he forgot even about his son and daughter-in-law. He would tell Arnold about them and how they had been going strong for a few months. He even had mentioned that he wouldn't be surprised if they got married someday and had a kid or two. His health drained and he was put on vitamins. He forgot the death of Gertie and Arnold normally had to remind him to stop yelling for her, but it was no use anymore. Grandpa was lost too.

He wished Phil a good morning and told him he was heading out. Phil didn't say anything, which was normal for them in the mornings. Arnold hopped into the Packard and started the engine. He opened the garage door and backed out. He drove down to the park, where he normally met Gerald every morning for him to try to get Arnold to get past… her death. He gulped and tears threatened to flow when he parked. He walked to the normal bench and sat down, waiting for Gerald to show up. The wind bit at him, making him slightly shiver in the cold November morning.

Arnold stared at the ground, remembering that at this bench, he had found a chick with her, where he had taken them at the end of their first date, where he had planned to propose to her before… the accident. He took out the box he had grabbed earlier, undid the bow, careful to hold it with care, and opened the box.

Inside was the ring he had chosen for her. He pulled it out, feeling it's weight and imagining the surprised look he had wanted to see on her face when he had presented it to her. Now that would never happen. They wouldn't grow old together, they wouldn't have any kids, they wouldn't travel the world. It was all gone, all because a man had not paid attention to the road for one more FUCKING minute. He squashed his anger, and looked back at the ring.

It was a light pink 5 carat diamond perched on top of the ring with the inscription of, "To Helga, to keep you close to me. Love, Arnold Shortman" on the inside of the band to match her locket that she had shown him. He wondered what to do with it now. He wouldn't return it, it would be an insult to Helga's memory, but it hurt him to keep it, to see it daily, it was so painful. The future he had wanted. That he knew she had wanted to have, that was now never to happen. He put back the ring and closed the box, cupping his hand and bringing it to his forehead, quietly letting the tears slide down his face as he remembered the next day after the funeral.

_He drove by her house from work and stopped. He looked up at the house, still seeing the curtains pulled in her room, the house having a gloomy atmosphere. He got out of the Packard, locked the car on the curb, and walked up to the door. He knocked lightly, hoping someone would answer. He wanted to express his feelings to Bob and Olga about what had happened, but after a moment, no one came to the door._

_Arnold raised an eyebrow, then he knocked again, louder this time. No one answered. He grabbed the handle and opened the door silently. The house was empty and quiet, without a noise, a sound, a whisper anywhere. He closed the door behind him, hearing the click almost echo as he locked the door. He walked up the staircase to… her room._

_Or what had been her room now. The bedroom was now almost empty except for a few boxes lying inside near the door. The doll was gone, her bed was packed and gone, her nightstand gone, only the cardboard boxes labeled Helga remained to even say the she had once occupied the house. He opened the first box and found some of her poetry books inside on top of some dresses that she had worn for a date or two with him. He reached down and grabbed the top book, and opened it._

_It was her very first one, with a few entries about her school day and how she had 'helped him' get water. He smiled knowingly, because more than likely she had sprayed water on his face. He flipped through the pages, reveling in her writing about him._

_Always about him. She never wrote anything else. He put the book down and set the box aside. He opened the next box, revealing a few of her other books, her locket for him, and her shrine to him. It was the last one she had ever made, only because he had wanted to see her make one, much to her amazement and delight. He supposed she probably wouldn't make him one if she wasn't really comfortable with him being there, but he had loved her creativity and her imagination. He set the box next to the other, and opened the last box. It contained a few of her clothes, but it was only half full._

_Arnold closed the boxes and set them back. He got up and turned to the door when he felt anger rise in him. Why would they already have packed her stuff? She had only been gone a few days, why would they clear out the room? This made him angry, then he got an idea._

"_Well. Well, if they don't want her here, then I'll take her stuff." he thought. "It probably goes to me anyways, so why not?" He turned around and grabbed the boxes, one by one, and carried them to his car outside. He packed them into the trunk and he got into the Packard, starting the engine and drove home._

_When he arrived, he grabbed the boxes and took them to his room, setting them next to his bed and he took out all the contents. He took her books out and set them on his bookshelf, the locket was set on his shelf, and the clothes were neatly folded and put away, safely where he could keep them, forever._

_The shrine he wasn't sure. He felt awkward keeping it, but he didn't want to get rid of it. She had spent hours using a blowtorch to weld the metal together that comprised the head and hair, finished with two fake emeralds that acted as his eyes. The hair was of a gold painted metal while silver was the head, contrasting each other very well, however Arnold loved it. He set the shrine in a spot in his closet up top where he could see it, but it wasn't in the way. He smiled, and closed the closet door._

"Arnold." He sat up, looking back and forth. There wasn't anyone there. But, how could that be? He knew he had heard someone whisper his name.

"Maybe it was just the wind." he murmured as he settled his head into his hands. He took out his phone and noticed the time. 6:35 am. Gerald was late.

"Arnold." There it was again. He looked around, this time noticing… no, that couldn't be. How could the ribbon be gone? He checked under and by the bench, in his pockets and around in the grass. Then he saw it. He watched as the ribbon flew in the wind over the path. Arnold sprinted after the ribbon, but it just flew higher out of his reach. He ran after it until he reached the bridge, no longer able to run after the small piece of fabric as it flipped around and rode the wind down the small channel of water. Arnold watched in horror as the ribbon went away from him, just like the owner.

He couldn't contain himself, but he fell to his knees on the bridge and cried. He cried long and hard. Why was his life so difficult now? First his parents left, then Grandma, Abner and she were now gone, and almost Grandpa too. His life was infinitely harder now. Why was it harder? How could this happen to him? Almost everyone he loved was now gone. But the one that was always there, the one that he learned to love, was the cut to his heart that was the deepest, the largest, and the slowest to heal.

Arnold wanted nothing more than to forget it all. To finally see them all again. He stood and placed his hands on the rail of the bridge. Hesitantly, he climbed onto the rail, the wind on his back, flapping his hair and blowing off his hat, the hat he still to this day wore.

He wouldn't need it anymore.

He jumped, plunging into the freezing water, his breath shooting out of his mouth as the water plunged down his throat and stuck to him like pins. He felt numb everywhere, but he made no move to resurface. He didn't care. All he wanted now… All he had wanted for 4 years…

Was to see… Helga… again.

He felt himself surrender to the icy hand of the river. He couldn't feel anything anymore. He blacked out from lack of oxygen, his last thought of Helga and how she might look in her wings and halo, the thought making him smile as he closed his eyes…

* * *

"Arnold." He heard his name. He recognized the voice. It wasn't Helga though.

"HEY ARNOLD!" shouted Gerald as he shook him. Arnold opened his eyes, feeling pain shoot through him from this simple action. He closed his eyes and coughed, finally breathing again. He still felt numb and cold, but he knew he wasn't in heaven. He looked up at Gerald with difficulty, and asked, "What happened?"

"WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?" shouted Gerald at the top of his lungs. "JUMPING INTO THE DAMN RIVER! WERE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF ARNOLD! HAS YOUR OBSESSION WITH HELGA BECOME SO BAD THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO THROW AWAY YOUR LIFE FOR NOTHING?" Gerald took a second to breathe.

Arnold was shocked. He remembered jumping, the cold, numb water surrounding him. "How did you get me out?"

Gerald rolled his eyes. "Phoebe and I saw you climb the rail and jump. We ran as fast as we could, but you were under for a moment. She called 911 while I jumped in to save your ass. Your welcome, by the way." Gerald punched Arnold in the shoulder, though Arnold still didn't feel it. "We put you in and they brought you back. Took 2 shocks for you heart to start working again, but you're back among the living buddy." Gerald stopped. "Was this about last night?" he asked curiously.

Arnold raised an eyebrow. "What happened last night?"

Gerald looked bashful for a second, then he spilled. "You, uhm, might have burned some stuff of yours. Some books and some little metal thing, I don't know what it was. I think you should stop at about your 5th shot from now on, Arnold." Gerald nervously laughed, hoping to make it better.

He couldn't have made it worse. Arnold leaned back onto the stretcher, regretting that he apparently had burnt Helga's books of poetry and shrine. Now she really had left him, and it was his fault. He heard another voice peep up, "Arnold? Are you going to be okay?" He looked up again to see Dr. Johanssen, aka Phoebe Johanssen, staring at him with a worried look on her face.

Arnold leaned back again, staring at the ceiling of the ambulance as it sped it's way to the hospital. "I hadn't heard Helga. It was all in my head." He sighed, and looked at Phoebe.

"It's going to take time, but yeah. I will be." Arnold slumped back onto the stretcher and slept, unable to deal with the world.

**So, what did you think? Let me know please by reviewing. I love feedback. Stay tuned for the next chapter. :)**


	3. Angela

**Chapter 3 is now up! This one is a nice, short chapter, amazingly not really about Arnold and Helga. It's a little, "That's so sweet!" chapter about a brand new little girl I've created. Hope you like the change in pace, and I hope you enjoy.**

**Shout-out to my new Beta, darkangel1326; for without you, not only would this chapter suck, but this little girl wouldn't exist. Thank you, and may this be the first of many chapters to be done together. :)**

**3. Angela**

**Based on the song Brand New Man by Brooks and Dunn**

**Rated K+**

Two teens were lying on a red couch next to each other, content to be in the other's arms and presence. 13 year old Arnold Shortman lifted his head up just a little to plant a small kiss on 13 year old Helga Pataki's head, burying his face into her hair. He inhaled deeply and smelled something sweet, (maybe honey?) from her shampoo. His smile widened as Helga slightly squirmed and let a sigh escape. She tightened her arms around him, her dreamy smile becoming even wider. Arnold lowered his head and stared into the eyes of the wonderful young woman next to him. They held each other's gaze for a moment, both unable to express the love that was flowing between them, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. Arnold closed his eyes, a frown replacing his smile. He sighed and then, reluctantly, he got up and away from Helga and walked to his bedroom door.

"Who is it?" he asked. He hoped it wasn't too important, as he was trying to spend some time with Helga. He opened the door and found Oskar Kokoshka standing there, a smile spread across his face as he held a bundle of blankets in his hands. Arnold raised his eyebrows as his jaw dropped and he gasped as he let Oskar in. Arnold was surprised to see him because Oskar and Susie Kokoshka were not seen by anyone for a few days. Arnold, along with the boarders, were concerned, not only because of their disappearance, but also because of Susie's condition.

Helga sat up, wondering what was going on. Upon seeing a man enter, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's all the fuss about?"

Arnold turned and said, "Helga, meet the newest member of the boarding house."

Helga stepped forward, finally seeing the man.

"Oskar, I think" thought Helga to herself. She made a mental note to ask Arnold to clarify later.

As she stood and smiled a greeting to Oskar, he almost pressed the bundle of blankets into Helga's arms. He still, however, managed to hold the bundle in a protective manner. Helga's eyes fell on the blankets, and she too gasped as she covered her mouth with her hands. She felt Arnold slide a hand around her waist and pull her closer to him as she looked back at Oskar, a smile still on his face.

Inside Oskar's bundle of blankets was a baby. A baby that was sleeping, the wonderful sound of the breath of this baby very quietly heard by the two teens and the father.

Oskar pulled the baby back, saying, "Arnold, I just wanted to show you our child since we only just got home from the hospital and you had helped me and Susie through some tough times. Now, that will be $50." Arnold gave a straight face, while Helga just stared at the baby, her eyes filling up with tears.

Oskar laughed, "A he he he. I'm just kidding Arnold, you keep the money. Well, see you later at dinner. Nice to see you again, Arnold's girlfriend." He walked over to the door and began to close it a little. Then he re-opened it again.

"Hey Arnold, I almost forgot…" Oskar tilted the baby toward Arnold, showing her face to him. "Her name is Angela." He closed the door behind him.

"She's so beautiful," was all Helga thought. There wasn't a noise in the room as both Arnold and Helga quietly reflected on the wonderful news that Oskar had just given them. Arnold looked at Helga, finally glad to be the same height as her. He noticed the tears in her eyes, so he tried to get her attention. A tear finally slid down her face as her lips quivered slightly, then she hugged Arnold, catching him by surprise. He was a little shocked to see Helga so vulnerable, but he hugged her back and they stayed like that for a little while.

When Helga finally pulled away, she smiled at Arnold, who returned it, and she pulled him in for another kiss. After that, she dropped an unexpected bomb on Arnold.

"Arnold, we're going to have kids too, right?" Helga looked at him with misty eyes, silently waiting for his answer. Arnold's eyes widened, then he looked away, a blush coming over his face as he cleared his throat.

"Maybe Helga," said Arnold. "But that won't be for some time." He smiled reassuringly, and then he and Helga sat down on his bed, discussing Angela, their own kids whenever they had them, what they might look like and who they would take after the most.

* * *

Oskar closed the door, making sure to cradle little Angela in his arms as he walked down the pull-down stairs and went back into his room. Susie was sleeping on the couch, exhausted after finally having a child.

Oskar smiled and took Angela into the bedroom, making sure to leave Mom alone for some rest.

Inside the bedroom stood Angela's crib, a classic, white box-shaped bed for his beautiful new-born child. Oskar walked to the crib and very gently, he put his daughter onto the pink blanket that covered the bottom of the crib. He watched as Angela twisted upon the blanket, still deep in a peaceful slumber.

Oskar sighed, then he sat on the bed, staring at the crib.

He was a father. The full impact of the news hit him just as hard as at the hospital. He felt exhausted just thinking of the coming years, the trials and triumphs of dear Angela throughout her life.

"And where will I be?" questioned Oskar. "I need a real job. One that will support little Angela. I don't want to lose her, like I almost have lost Susie" Oskar wasn't going to allow that to happen. He had messed up badly with Susie.

What he needed was a real job. He needed to get more money. He needed to drop his old habits. No more cards with the guys. No more betting and gambling. No more stealing food and making excuses.

No more. He would do anything for her. Now he needed to prove it.

Oskar got up and left the room, determined to change his life, this time not for personal gain or because everyone teased him or mocked him for it. It would be for Angela.

"I'm a brand new man," thought Oskar.

**Well? What did you think of my OC? Please review, as always. Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


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